Cyn's Nature Notes: July 2000

Tuesday 4 July 2000

Kestrel Captures During Flight

This morning while I was inhaling my nebulized antibiotics, I had a few heart-stopping seconds. I saw the kestrel who lives in the old oak tree in the field at the far end of the garden. He was flying over the garden when suddenly he dived into the big golden conifer, about two feet from the top, flushed a bird out – a starling, I think – and chasing it in flight up the garden. It all happened so quickly, I was not sure I had really seen it.

The poor starling didn’t have much chance. Although it tried evasive maneuvers, the kestrel was right on its tail the whole time. As the starling flew over the arch at the front of the garden the kestrel seemed to cover it with his body, flying directly above the starling. Then the kestrel dropped slightly and still in fast flight captured the starling in its talons, and made for the nearest tree where it proceeded to pluck its prey.

I have often watched the kestrel flying over the garden and seen him in apparent motion swoop and take a bird from the lawn, but to see this capture in flight was something new and remarkable.

About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.